Still seated in the dental chair where he'd had a front tooth removed only moments earlier, Lamar Smith flashed a gauzy smile.

The 42-year-old from Guyton had arrived two hours earlier Thursday at Godley Station Dental in Pooler to have the tooth extracted during the clinic's third annual Dentistry from the Heart event that provides free dental care to those in need.

For four years, Smith had "just been dealing with" the tooth he'd severely injured in a motorcycle crash because he couldn't afford the cost of the procedure.

"Other than this I'd be dealing with them until they rotted out," Smith said. "This is the only way I had to get them out."

By noon, said Dr. Matthew Allen, more than 100 people had been treated.

"We've had a great day today," Allen said. "It's been a steady line ever since we started this morning. We've had a ton of fun, and we've done a ton of good stuff for a lot of people."

The event that offers cleanings, fillings and extractions is Allen's way of giving back to the Pooler community where he's practiced for eight years.

"We've pretty much grown up with the city out here, and if you don't stop and figure out what you can do to help other people every now and then, it's not worth it," he said. "That's what makes us professionals, and that's what makes us able to enjoy what we do on a day-to-day basis."

Since Dentistry from the Heart, a national non-profit organization, was started in Florida in 2001 more than 50,000 patients have received free procedures at more than 250 participating practices.

Before opening Satilla Family Dentistry in Brunswick, Dr. Diana Cicchiello often volunteered for those events. Because there wasn't one this year in Brunswick, she said, she volunteered to help Thursday.

"I'm a sucker for a good cause," Cicchiello said. "I think it's so important to give back, and doing something good like this - these people are just so appreciative and grateful."

She spent most of the day providing fillings and extractions - including Smith's.

"They're angels; they're just wonderful," Smith said of Cicchiello and the others who performed his 15-minute procedure. "The care they took with this, I'd recommend these folks to anybody."

Allen said he didn't expect to slow down until early afternoon, noting the long line of hopeful patients still waiting outside the door about 1 p.m.

There, 25-year-old Ashley Powell of Pooler and 42-year-old Tarsha Bartlett of Savannah expressed their appreciation as they waited to receive fillings.

"A lot of people need something done, but they just can't afford it, you know," said Powell, who is in between jobs and has no health insurance. "I'm a single mother and it's been tough, but things like this - I'm just happy they're able to do it."

Bartlett said she'd gone five years without visiting a dentist because her part-time job doesn't offer insurance.

"The way the economy is and everything it's just hard to justify spending, you know," she said.

"I know your teeth are important, and it's just awesome that these people come and help out people in this society that don't have the money or the funds to visit the dentist."